*Chapter 9*
~Are We There Yet?~
"Are we there yet?" Bobby whined. The group had left Rouen a week ago and had still not arrived in Paris. Everyone was in a sour mood and Iceman's near constant complaining was not helping matters.
"Icicle, if you don't shut up right now I will gut you! Ya hear me!" Logan snarled threateningly. "We'll get there when we get there and not a minute sooner. Whining won't get us there any faster."
Bobby immediately fell silent as he was quite happy to keep his guts where they were. It's not like he'd helped out much yet. In fact, he'd caused the band nothing but trouble so far. He, Robert Drake, had single-handedly managed to get them thrown out of every tavern they had stopped at. He even screwed up so bad one time they were driven out of the village itself, forcing them to camp out that night. Needless to say, his companions were not pleased with him. Bobby was actually surprised that they hadn't killed him yet. Not that all of the trouble was entirely his fault.
Most of the taverns they'd been thrown out of was because someone else started a fight with him. So what if he was staggering drunk at the time, it wasn't his fault that the all the French men were out to pick a fight with him. And the time they were thrown out of the village, that wasn't his fault at all. How was he supposed to know that the girl he'd run into was the mayor's daughter? So he couldn't be blamed for flirting with her. And it wasn't his fault that he had inadvertently insulted her father, he couldn't speak French. And who knew that the mayor was so touchy about whatever it was he said. At least the weather had been nice that night.
Bobby looked away from the muddy, rutted 'road' and focused his attention on someone else, Katharine Pryde. He found her far more intriguing than the monotonous view around him. Today she was riding in front of him so all he could see was the back of her head, but that was fine with him, this way she wouldn't see him staring at her. Now he was free to admire her without fear of discovery! Bobby slipped into a state somewhere between reality and daydreams as he let his mind wander.
He remembered when he first came to Lord Xavier's mansion, a nervous little boy who had no idea what was happening to him. His powers hadn't fully emerged at the time, he had only been able to make the air colder and a little bit of slushy snow. When he had first seen his new home he'd worked himself into a panic and nearly fainted. He, a little nobody, was going to live in a place like that? He was just the son of a carpenter from a little village near Liverpool. What strange twist of fate had led him to this place?
Bobby had been wandering around the halls like a small lost child when he had bumped into her. The instant he saw he was smitten. She was the most beautiful girl he had ever met in his life. She had incredibly bright blue eyes and long, silky looking brown hair. And when she apologized for bumping into him, he fell in love with her sweet, clear voice. From that moment on she was the light of his life, the sun which his whole existence revolved around. She, unfortunately, did not see things this way, at least not yet. Bobby would somehow win her heart; he wouldn't rest until he did.
***
Kitty glanced back at Bobby, cringing when she saw the dreamy expression on his face. She hated it when he did that. He'd given her that look ever since they first met two years previous. She didn't know how she'd managed to keep from killing him for so long. Ever since they bumped into each other in the hall his first day he had been after her. No matter what she had said or done to him he refused to give up. What did she have to do to make him see that she wasn't interested in him that way and never would be? She even asked him once what she had to do to make him leave alone. He told her that there was nothing on earth that could discourage him. Well there was, but she wasn't quite desperate enough to tell him that yet, she was getting there though.
//How are you holding up?// Jean telepathically asked. Shadowcat jumped, startled by Jean's sudden question.
//Fine I guess. How about you?// Kitty replied.
//As good as can be expected. Do you think we'll get to Paris today?// Jean wondered.
//I hope so. I don't think Bobby can last much longer.// Kitty stated.
//Is it just me or are you worried about Bobby's well-being?// Jean prodded.
//No, not really, but I have no desire to see his internal organs. Do you?// Shadowcat countered.
//No I don't.// Jean admitted.
//But I will admit that I'd miss his stories. That's the only thing he seems good for. That, and annoying the heck out of me.// Kitty said.
//Yes, his stories are really something. And to think that he makes them all up off the top of his head.// Jean marveled.
//It certainly is a talent. But he also has a talent for getting into trouble.// Kitty pointed out.
//True, very true, that is one of his biggest flaws to be sure. But deep down he's still a great guy.// Jean replied.
//I know he is. And if he would stop trying to court me then I would like a good deal better than I do now.// Kitty returned.
//Why don't you let him court you?// Jean asked.
//Because, as I said before, I have no interest of the romantic sort in him at all. Courting someone implies that you like them in that way and I don't. I refuse to court him because it would give everyone the incorrect impression of my feelings. It would be a lie and only hurt him worse in the end. And there is nothing anyone can do to change my mind so stop trying.// Kitty said, her mental tone held an edge to it that made Jean flinch.
//Alright, I won't bring it up anymore.// Jean said in surrender. //So what do you want to talk about instead?//
//Tell me how you met Scott.// Kitty replied after a moment of thought.
//Well, when I was fourteen I visited my grandfather in Ireland during the autumn. One day, after a particularly bad storm, I was walking along the beach with my sister and I found him washed up on shore like a piece of driftwood. We brought him back to the house and took care of him till he was better. When he first woke up he had mild amnesia that lasted about half a year so for a while we didn't know what to call him. But when he did remember himself it really got interesting.
It turns out that his father was a talented captain in the royal navy and Scott and the rest of his family had been visiting on the ship before the storm. The storm sank his father's vessel taking all hands, his father included; only Scott survived. We became close friends and my father took him in, made him the son he never had. When our Curses emerged my family was frightened, they had trouble understanding it. We helped each other with learning about our powers and as a result grew closer. We married, met Lord Xavier, had Nathan, and then met you.// Jean said, finishing her tale.
//Wow. That's certainly an interesting way to meet a husband. Too bad he had to lose his family though.// Kitty thought sadly.
//Yes, it is very sad. But now he has Nathan and me. And we don't plan on leaving him alone ever again.// Jean stated.
//I never doubted that fact for a moment.// Kitty replied.
//Good. Why did you ask about Scott and me anyway?// Jean wondered.
//Just curious was all. I had heard some things back at the mansion and wanted to know for certain.// Shadowcat answered.
The two lapsed into silence as the group continued on their way to Paris. Well they had been silent before since the whole conversation had been a mind-to-mind one. Now they were silent in the sense that they no longer spoke to one another. But silence never seems to last long enough and it was soon broken.
"Are we there yet?"